Dispensing top



Aug. 2 1927.

L. S. BURBANK DISPENSING TOP Filed Nov. 9, 1925 @06272207 L4 Barxficvzk Patented Aug. 2, 1927.

UNITED STATES LOUIS S. BURBANK, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

DISPENSING TOP.

Application filed November 9, 1925. Serial No. 67,718.

This invention relates to a top for a receptacle for dispensing material in the form of a paste, as for example, tooth paste and the like. It is well known that as these are now made the screw cap which is ordinarily employed is likely to get lost, in which case the paste will harden in the outlet passage. This often causes the containing tubes which are usually made of flexible metal to rupture when pressure is applied to them.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a practical dispensing top for such a containei, or any other form of containing receptacle, which will close automatically when the pressure is released and avoid the exposure of the paste to the air and therefore keep it soft for long periods of time even if the device is not used very often.

For this purpose the invention involves the provision of a top for the tube or other container having one or more perforations therethrough and a thin flexible sheet or diaphragm stretched over the top surface in such a way that when the pressure is applied the to paste will exude from the perforations and find its way out through a passage in the diaphragm and be discharged in the usual way, and also upon the release of pressure the diaphragm will contract and come into I close contact with the surface of the end of the container so as to leave no paste between it and that surface and so as to close the perforations and prevent the air getting at the paste within.

36 Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear hereinafter.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a side view of an ordinary tooth paste tube of flexible material with a preferred embodiment of this invention applied thereto, the flexible sheet and its holding device being shown in central section;

Fig. 2 is a plan of the same;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on enlarged scale with a slight modification and showing how the paste is forced out of the receptacle; and

Fig. 4 is a central sectional view of the device showing another modification.

The invention can be applied to an ordinary flexible metal paste tube 10 or any otherv kind of a container to which pressure is applied to force the paste or other soft material out through the end. I have shown it as applied to an ordinary tube having a conical shoulder 11 of metal securely fixed to the flexible tube 10. This shoulder, as

usual, has a neck 12 of cylindrical form extending up from it Instead of roviding the exterior of this with a screw t read for fastening on the cap, I provide it with an end surface 13 of a general conical shape but rounded on top. This shape is an important feature of the invention. Through this top I provide a series of perforations 14, all of them located at a distance from the rounded end. This constitutes the whole of the container itself. It Will be understood that the metal of the neck and its end is thick and inflexible.

I stretch over the conical surface of the end 13 a diaphragm or sheet 15 of rubber capable of being stretched. This rubber is in the form of a round flat disc originally with a circular passage 16 through it at the center. The disc is placed on the end 13 so that the passage 16 will be entirely closed by the convex center of the end 13 ordinarily, but the sheet covers the perforations 14 and seals them under ordinary conditions. This flexible disc or diaphragm is placed over the rounded and conical endas stated above and a locking ring 17 forced down along the neck to clamp the edge of the diaphragm against the neck and hold it firmly in position.

In the form shown in Fig. 3 the rin 17 is provided with corrugations 18 to hol d it more firmly in position. In the form shown in Fig. 4 screw threads 19 are used. The ring 20 which takes the place of the ring 17 is screw threaded at the bottom to screw on these screw threads and hold it against being dislodged by any pressure from Within the tube. This. ring 20 has an inner surface which engages the exterior of the diaphragm 15 and clamps it in position. Preferably the inner surface of the ring here is slightly conical or contracted at the end to more firmly hold the diaphragm in position.

In each of the forms shown, the diaphragm 15 will contract over the perforations 14 when no pressure is being exerted so as to keep the contents from contact with the air and maintain it in a pasty condition. When pressure is applied from below the paste within will exude through the perf0rations 14 by forcing the diaphragm away at those points, as indicated in Fig. 3, and find its way outwardly where the resistance is less to the passage 16. It is forced out in a way similar to that which is well known in this industry. When enough paste has been removed the pressure of course is released and the surplus paste can be wiped ofi leaving the exterior clean and the interiorprotected from the air as stated above. Even if paste is left on the outside and hardens there it cannot get in under the diaphragm 15 because that immediately comes back by its own resiliency on the convex metal top 13. Therefore even the hardening of the paste outside will not prevent the next operation of the valve arrangement.

it will be noticed that the top surface 18 of the container is rounded to such an extent that it is spheroidal in shape at the end and conical around it to form a plug for the passage in the diaphragm which is small enough to permit the diaphragm covering and sealing the perforations 14 in the conical surface. This diaphragm does not exert any material pressure on the paste in the perforations but at the same time the diaphragm is stretched over the entire surface of the conical end so that pressure is exerted all around the edges or these perforations and they are efiectively sealed as soon as the presssure on the tubeis released.

This constitutes a very simple andinexpensive construction for the purpose described and edectively avoids the sealing of the tube by the hardening of the paste or other contents.

Although i have illustrated and described only three forms of the invention 1 am aware of the fact that other modifications can he made therein by any person skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention as expressed in the claims. Thereiore i do not wish to be limited in these respects but what it do claim is 1. As an article of manufacture, a dis pensing container for the purpose described, having a top provided with an opening therethrough, an elastic sheet covering said opening and having a passage therethrough out of registration with said opening, and means for holding the sheet against the surface of the top.

2. As an article of manufacture, a dispensing container having a convex end pertorated at points at a distance from its center, and an elastic sheet stretched over said end so as to lie close against it and having a central passage arranged to be closed by the convex surface oi the end when not under pressure.

3. As an article of manufacure, a dispensing container having a neck at the end provided with an opening therethrough for the discharge of the contents of the container, a thin flexible diaphragm located over the end and having apassage through it out of registration with the opening, and means for holding the diaphragm in a position in which it lies in close contact with narrates said end, whereby when the contents are forced out through the opening they will find their way to the passage in the diaphragm and be discharged through it.

4. As an article of manutacure, a dispensing container having a neck provided with aconvex end surface having an opening therethrough for the discharge of the contents of the container, 2. thin elastic diaphragm located on theconvex surface and. having a passage through it out of registration with the opening, and means for holding the diaphragm in a position in which it lies in close contact with said convex surface, the diaphragm being formed or" a material which will have to be stretched by the pressure of the contents of the receptacle to allow them to pass from the opening to the passage and will contract after the pressure is removed to close the communication between the opening and passage.

5. in a dispensing container, the combinationwith a neck for the container having a convex end surface, of a thin flexible sheet of material covering said surface and having a central perforation entirely closed by the convex surface, said convex end having an opening through it out of registration with the passage in said sheet, and a solid ring for holding the edge of the flexible sheet against the outside of said neck and'causing the sheet to lie always in contactwith the convex surface so as to close the opening through it.

6. The combination with a flexible metal containing tube having a smooth cylindrical neck terminating a perforated rounded end with a washer-shaped thin rubber diaphragm lying over. the rounded end and having a passage through it out of registration with the perforations in the end. and aclamping ring around said neclr for holding the diaphragm against the surface of the rounded end so that the latter will seal the passage when not under pressure.

7. The combination with a flexible containing tube having a neck terminating in a perforated rounded end with a. diaphragm lying over the rounded end and having a passage through it out of registration with the perforations in the end, and a clamping ring around said neck for holding the diaphragm against the surface of the rounded end.

8. A container having a discharge end' provided with a cylindrical part terminating in a bulging head whose tip or central surface is of spheroidal shape and whose outer surface is substantially conical, the conical part having openings therethrough, an elastic washer-shaped diaphragm stretched ssa down over said head having a central passage small enough to permit'its covering the openings in the head, and stretching over the conical part of the head, thus exerting-little mamas or no pressure over the holes in the head and at the same time admitting a greater pressure of the diaphragm at the edge of its central passages upon the head, thus eifectively sealing the container as soon as pressure from Within is removed.

9. in a self-sealing collapsible container, the combination with a tube, a discharge neck having'an opening therethrough for the passage of the contents, the termination of said opening being at a smooth metallic outside surface of said neck, a pliable diso yieldingly covering said opening but having an edge near to said opening, whereby when sufi'icient pressure is exerted against said tube, its contents will pass through said opening-raise the edge of said pliable disc,

flow along a path between said pliable disc and the said smooth metallic surface and exude at a point at an edge of the disc.

10. in a self-sealing collapsible eontainer,

the combination with a flexible tube having a discharge neolr provided with a plurality of openings therethrough, a single piece of pliable material normally covering said openings and having a perforation through it, said piece of pliable material normally covering said openings in the discharge neck but being located in such position that when pressure is exerted on the material in the tube, its contents will slightly displace the pliable material and can be discharged through said openings in the neck and through the opening in the pliable material, said pliable material being capable of returning to normal position when the pressure is removed tor sealing said openings in the neck. I

In testimony whereof l have hereunto af fixed my signature.

Louis s. BURBANK. 

